SCLC is the most aggressive and lethal form of lung cancer, typically very sensitive to cytotoxic therapy when first diagnosed, but associated with a high incidence of tumour relapse and a very poor life expectancy. Combination chemotherapy based on cisplatin or carboplatin and etoposide represents the most widely used regimen. Despite of the high response rate, approximately 80% of patients with limited disease and nearly all patients with extended disease develop disease relapse or progression. Topotecan is, at present, the only approved second line treatment in Europe.